Tenkai Star: Chief Decisions
by Spooks94
Summary: Suikoden II. Okay I fixed the coding problem. Stupid FF.Net screw ups. Spoilers are abound in this one folks. 'Tragic Ending' for Suikoden II. Poor Riou and Jowy...R&R and I'll love you forever and ever and ever.


**A/N:** Alrightly folks, I'm back! Hasn't it just been forever since I last wrote something all Suikodeny? ^^; Anyway I'm such a sucker for the first two Suikodens and I just can't stay away from them for to long. Whee...uh anyways feel free to check out my other two Suikoden fics. *hint hint*

This little ficcy is about the 'Tragic Ending' for Suikoden II and I'm rather proud of it. So enjoy and for the gods' sake review!

Disclaimer: I don't own squat. If I did own Suikoden II I'd pay off my teachers and never go to summer school again. ^^

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Tenkai: Chief Decisions  
Author: Spooky Fyre

_In the beginning there was "darkness."  
Then the "darkness" shed a "tear."  
From the "tear" the brothers Sword and Shield were born.  
Shield claimed it could defend against any attack.  
Sword claimed it could slice through anything.  
The brothers began a legendary battle.  
At the end, both Sword and Shield shattered.  
Sword became the sky,  
Shield became the earth,  
And the sparks from the battle became the stars.  
As for the jewels, they fell to the ground and became the True Runes,  
The Runes that all other runes were born from._  
-From the _Legend of the True Runes_

The sinking sun set the surrounding mountains ablaze with the orange glow of impeding dusk and in the dying light a lone young man made his way steadily up the narrow, treacherous mountain path. His pale skin was painted a soft orange by the setting sun and the fine sheen of sweat and dirt that coated his face was visible in the remaining light. His boots crunched on the loose pebbles and his gloved hands brushed the sharp pair of wooden _tonfa_ that were belted at his side as he continued his trek up the mountain. It was unusual for a person to come up the mountain by his or herself; dangerous animals stalked the twisting trails, waiting for a foolish person to venture into the isolated area alone and unprotected. But if the teen noticed the dark shadows that followed him silently up the mountainside he gave no indication of it, in fact his pace slowed and his eyes attained that far away look associated with one deep in thought. However, the wild animals never attacked while his attention was turned inwards, they knew that the young man with the large brown eyes and hair was far more dangerous then they, power clung to him like a second skin both physically and magically.

Riou Genkaku, recent leader of the Dunan Army made his way carefully up the mountainside, his mind wandering the worn trails of past memories. He had just passed the last location of the Highland Army Unicorn Brigade, the very last place its young soldiers had camped, where they no slept for eternity. All but two of the young men who had served in the youth brigade had died when their commanding officer had betrayed them, staging a false raid to give Highland the excuse to start the war with the Jowston Alliance again. _Captain Rowd may have been greedy and eager to move up in the ranks of the military but if it weren't for Luca Blight's destructive influence the tragedy never would have happened. Only a completely insane person would have thought that scheme up and only a member of the Royal Family could have authorized that slaughter and gotten away with it._ Riou shuddered as he remembered the horrid stench of blood, burning canvas, wood, and bodies; the sounds of young men crying out as their own countrymen cut them down. The fear Jowy and he had felt that night was still very real in his mind and he could still see Jowy's wide eyes and his own trembling hands as they watched and listened to Rowd and Prince Luca Blight discuss the slaughter of the young troops. The two boys had run from the scene to the cliff that Riou was now heading for, there they had been confronted by Rowd and attacked by their own people.

So they had jumped into the ranging waters below after they had bother slashed a line into the rock, forming a crude X and promised to meet there again if they ever got separated. _That was the first sign that our paths were to diverge. Funny, I never thought of it before,_ Riou thought as he picked his way over a tedious stretch of ground that threatened to crumble away at any given moment. _Later we were branded traitors in an attempt to silence us, forcing us to flee our home and country. Nanami and I really became the traitors they said we were. I became the Leader of the Dunan Army and the hope of the City-States of the Jowston Alliance, the scourge of the mighty country of Highland, and murderer of Prince Luca Blight. My poor sister, wonderful, brave Nanami was there beside me the whole time regardless of what she believed. And Jowy became the King of Highland through his marriage to Jillia Blight and the death of her father and brother._ Riou's thoughts were tinged with bitterness, _As soon as he lost the war, he was labeled a traitor, the reason the Highland fell to the Dunan Army._

_When we received the two halves of the True Rune of Beginning, the Bright Shield Rune and the Dark Sword Rune, that is when our paths began to go separate ways._ Riou recalled the awe he had felt when the Bright Shield Rune had been transferred to his right hand, the feeling of gentle power that had washed over him. _These two Runes were destined to always oppose one another; at least that's what Jowy told me. I guess he was right; we became enemies not matter how hard we tried._ Riou smiled ruefully, _we were both so stubborn and neither of us wanted our side to loose. We both believed we were right and I just couldn't trust a country that had tried to kill me for no reason and spawned a monster like Luca Blight._ The True Runes were the most powerful magical artifacts ever known from them all of the lesser runes that allowed people to utilize magic were descended. A particular quirk of the True Runes were that they bestowed their bearers with immortality, although none really knew why but Riou thought it might been for the sake of balance or something.

Finally he reached the cliff and the sun sank lower still, leaving everything it touched dyed in hues of red. There, facing the X scared rock with his back to Riou's was his best friend Jowy Atreides Blight, 'traitor' and the last living member of the Highland Royal Family.

The young man's long blonde hair rippled as Jowy turned his head to look at Riou, his expression was so haunted that it made the darker haired boy's heart clench.

"Riou . . .you came. Just like you promised, here once again..." Jowy turned to Riou; his head bowed and face hidden, refusing to meet Riou's gaze.

"This is where our journey began. You and I walked along the same path for so long together, but this is where they began to diverge. But I have no regrets. But if I did, it would be that I had to betray the City-State and assassinate Lady Anabelle. You and I were a lot alike; we were both aiming for the same thing. But I just..." Jowy trailed off and took a shaky breath before continuing. "As the Highland camp, after I let you escape ahead, I was captured and met Luca Blight again. I hated him from the beginning, it's true, but I think I admired his strength a little bit too. I thought if I was that strong I could protect everyone and I could create a gentle world where nobody would ever be hurt. But..." He fell silent and looked at the setting sun, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth.

Riou closed his eyes and bowed his head, he remember all to well the harrowing escape from the Highland supply camp and the death of Lady Anabelle, the mayor of the city of Muse; both were experiences Riou never wanted to repeat.

The Chamberlain of Muse, Jess, had asked Jowy, Nanami, and Riou to infiltrate Highland's supply camp to take count of how many provisions had been stored. That number, when relayed back to Jess, would tell the city officials if Highland was planning a quick or drawn out siege of Muse. They had been caught and attempted to fight their way free and after killing enough soldiers to make the group tired, Jowy had held the rest off the camp soldiers off with the power of his Dark Sword Rune. Riou had wanted to stay and fight too but as Jowy said, _what could he do with his Bright Shield Rune?_ It was meant to heal and was not yet evolved enough to be used offensively. Nanami and Riou had escaped and waited for Jowy's return for three days before he was finally able to make it back to Muse. But Jowy had never been the same after his capture, he had become distant and worried about something that neither Nanami nor Riou could figure out. They found out what was wrong with him five days later, the night Muse fell to Highland.

Both he and Nanami, his adopted sister, went to talk to Anabelle late one night because she had promised to tell them the story of their adopted grandfather Genkaku's exile from Muse. They had found Jowy kneeling over the prone form of the mayor, his face pale and a blood stained dagger clutched in his hand. Jowy had looked at them regretfully but he had a determined set to his mouth as he looked at the shocked faces of his best friends. He had apologized to the two before fleeing and leaving Riou and Nanami with a dying Anabelle. Nanami had tried to stem the flow of blood but she had died, leaving the two in a bad position if someone had come in. Of course, Jess had come in and accused the two teens of murder and treason. They had no other choice; they fled the city of Muse in the chaos of the attack.

Jowy took deep steadying breath and continued, "No, forget about it. This is a battle between that King of Highland and the Leader of the Dunan Army. This is truly the final battle."

Riou shook his head violently in denial, "We don't need to fight."

The King of Highland shook his head regretfully and took his staff in hand, "We do nee to fight Riou." He sounded tired and Riou knew in the instant that he could easily disarm and kill his best friend. Jowy was at the end of his strength and he would be slow to defend with his heavy metal staff, Riou's _tonfa_ were relatively light and could easily slip past his guard and deal a killing blow. Riou was shocked at his brain's cold calculation of weak spots and possible combos that could be used with devastating efficiently and he shrank away from the knowledge.

Jowy did not wait for Riou's reply, he leapt forward with a burst of speed and Riou automatically swept one of his _tonfa_ up and halted the staff's decent, the blunt, squared top of the other _tonfa_ came in from the side and delt a sharp job to his opponent's side. Jowy stumbled back with a surprised cry and Riou took advantage and stepped forward, his two _tonfa_ whirled in a swift pattern designed to confuse his opponent. Without warning he struck, his right _tonfa_ swept up and out to knock the staff aside while the left _tonfa_ slammed into Jowy's bare arm. Riou had chosen his simply attack pattern carefully; he wanted to disarm his friend, not kill him.

Jowy fell to his knees dazed; his skin was deathly pale and his breath shallow and labored. "That's right Riou. Good. Now this war will finally end." He coughed violently and a spot of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth. "Riou hold up your right hand."

Riou saw the edges of Jowy's lips turn up in a faint smile even though his head was slumped forward, "I was watching you the whole time, remember these two Runes were once one you know. Peace is a beautiful thing even if it comes at the end of along, brutal war." He coughed up more blood and Riou could do nothing more than stand before him in helpless horror. "It may seem all is lost," Jowy continued, "but we will always have memories. Forgive me Riou. I sent many men to their deaths, no one knows that pain of that more than I do."

Jowy raised his head weakly and smiled mockingly, "But just as I though . . .you had no choice but to defeat me. A glorious hero defeats an evil King. The people will talk and sing about your heroic rise to fame and forget the horrors and sins of war. The defeated soldiers will fell comforted by the fact that they were defeated by a hero and deceived by an evil king."

Riou held out his right hand, reaching for Jowy but not touching him. Jowy's eyes brightened and he also held out his right hand and a white glow formed around the two Rune Bearers. At first the shimmering glow was soft and gentle but it soon grew to a blinding intensity until they were both obscured in the nimbus. Above them two shining symbols appeared, one a white and green shield that shined with a soft and gentle light of its own, the other was a black sword outlined in red that pulsated with a dark violet light. The Bright Shield and Dark Sword Rune drifted toward one another until the edges of them came together. The light intensified as the two halves of the True Rune of Beginning merged.

Whether or night Jowy's eyes were shut tightly against the brightness or the pain that wracked his body Riou couldn't tell but Joey continued to speak through clenched teeth. "Riou I want you to become a great leader. Hold on dearly to this peace we fought so hard for."

The two Runes merged completely to form a brand new Rune shaped like nothing the two had ever seen. The two stared at the Rune in wonder and awe. Jowy watched as the newly formed Rune shrank and faded into Riou. "The Rune, it will lend you its power. I'm sure of it." He smiled and the stress lines that were etched around his young face disappeared and Riou finally saw his old friend Jowy Atreides in that pale face. "Farewell my friend . . .Riou." He breathed as he toppled forward.

Riou sprang forward with a strangled cry and caught Jowy before he had a chance to hit the ground. Riou now knew, through his Rune, what caused Jowy's death. He had used all the Dark Sword Rune's power to seal away the True Beast Rune that had released in a last ditch effort to repel the Dunan Army from the Palace of L'Renouille, the capital of Highland. Riou saw Jowy's memories, of Jowy using the last of his energy to make his way up the mountain to Tezan Pass, believing Riou would come. He knew Jowy's reasoning for fighting, he thought that if he died then there would be no chance of a rebellion, without somebody of Royal Blight blood there would be no attempt to reestablish the Kingdom of Highland.

"It all ends with you Jowy. It all ends with you." Riou whispered as he clutched the cooling body of his friend to his chest and cried. The True Rune of Beginning pulsed almost comfortingly on his right hand, hidden from the world's view by a leather glove.

_**~Fin**_

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**A/N:** So how was it? Wasn't it so...uh...Suikodenish? (Somebody shoot me...I'm making up words now. -_-') If you like it or hell, if you hated it review it cause I've been review starved for the past year. (Though it might be because I haven't _written_ anything in a good year...But that's just our little secret right?) Oh and one last thing, if you spot any typos or anything like that let me know. I always feel so stupid when I go back and read my stories and I find a bunch of typos and crap. Ugh it's soooo annoying. >.o 


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